A-G’s Cornwell named area coach of the year

Published: Saturday, December 15, 2012 at 11:08 PM.

AYDEN — A season of supremely high expectations didn’t end the way Ayden-Grifton coach Paul Cornwell wanted, but it was still plenty good enough to earn the ninth-year Chargers mentor area coach of the year by The Free Press.

“A 9-3 record is never anything I’d complain about, but as a team we definitely wanted more,” Cornwell said. “It’s part of the routine around here. Expectations are always very high and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Coming off an appearance in the state 1AA championship game in 2011, Ayden-Grifton was hoping to take the next step and capture the title this season. It didn’t work out that way, but the season was still a success by any standard of measure.

“We were young and at times inconsistent,” said Cornwell, who has compiled a sterling 79-32 career mark at A-G and has never experienced a losing season. “One of my biggest disappointments is that we didn’t always play up to our capabilities. There were too many games where we didn’t play a complete four quarters.”

Still, A-G was victorious in nine games, the eighth time a Cornwell-coached Chargers squad has won at least that many. They also finished right behind league champion Goldsboro in the Carolinas 1A Conference standings and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs, losing on the road to eventual state champion Southwest Onslow.

The Chargers averaged 42 points per game offensively and fielded a ferocious defense that surrendered just 18 points a game and held four opponents to seven points or less.

AYDEN — A season of supremely high expectations didn’t end the way Ayden-Grifton coach Paul Cornwell wanted, but it was still plenty good enough to earn the ninth-year Chargers mentor area coach of the year by The Free Press.

“A 9-3 record is never anything I’d complain about, but as a team we definitely wanted more,” Cornwell said. “It’s part of the routine around here. Expectations are always very high and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Coming off an appearance in the state 1AA championship game in 2011, Ayden-Grifton was hoping to take the next step and capture the title this season. It didn’t work out that way, but the season was still a success by any standard of measure.

“We were young and at times inconsistent,” said Cornwell, who has compiled a sterling 79-32 career mark at A-G and has never experienced a losing season. “One of my biggest disappointments is that we didn’t always play up to our capabilities. There were too many games where we didn’t play a complete four quarters.”

Still, A-G was victorious in nine games, the eighth time a Cornwell-coached Chargers squad has won at least that many. They also finished right behind league champion Goldsboro in the Carolinas 1A Conference standings and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs, losing on the road to eventual state champion Southwest Onslow.

The Chargers averaged 42 points per game offensively and fielded a ferocious defense that surrendered just 18 points a game and held four opponents to seven points or less.

“Watching our spread offense continue to get better and our young defense develop as the season went along was an accomplishment this coaching staff can be proud of,” Cornwell said. “We have a lot of players returning next year and I think we were able to lay a foundation for future success.”

But it was the specter of 2011’s championship run that Cornwell believes haunted his team the most.

“If I had to do one thing over again, it would be to handle pre-season drills differently,” Cornwell said. “Making it to the championship game may have affected our work ethic in the weight room and in our offseason preparation. Basically, there were times when as a team and a coaching staff we got a little complacent.”

With the Chargers moving up to the 2A level and entering a new conference next season, Cornwell doesn’t believe complacency will again be an issue.

“We’re stepping up in competition so it will be up to me and the other coaches to make sure the transition is a smooth one,” he said. “It will be a learning experience for all of us, but I can assure you we’ll be ready.”